Hunter, a 5-foot-10, 244-pound sophomore blocking back for the Gators, will play against his brother and Louisville offensive lineman, 6-3, 282-pound Kamran Joyer. They haven't been on the same field since high school together and have never played against each other.

Maybe less known than Peyton and Eli Manning, the two have a similar history of growing up in the rough and tumble back yard world of male sibling rivalry before going their separate ways for college football.

“He sprained my neck once - landed on top of my head,” Hunter said recalling an incident from when he was about 12. “We were just wrestling on my parents bed. I thought I broke my neck – I thought I was paralyzed.”

The brothers, along with father John Joyer, made competition out of everything during free moments. There were push-up contests and wagers on basketball games. There were video game challenges.

And there is an overriding love and appreciation for each other.

“I don’t think I would be here if it weren’t for them,” Hunter said of his dad and brother. “He’s the one that got me into training and working out and I give him and my dad all the respect for letting me be here.”

Neither brother will be a stat leader in Wednesday’s game.

Hunter has only one carry this season but he is an integral part of the Gators grinding run game that has carried the offense through a transition in quarterbacks.

His older brother Kamran has struggled with injuries as a Cardinal and made only one start this season.

But the flock of Joyer family will be in attendance in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to watch the brothers battle – sort of. Because both play on offense, the brothers won’t face each other on the field.

“(My family) will just root for the offenses pretty much, Either way it’s win for them,” Hunter said.

“No offense, I love you, no disrespect. But I'm sitting in the Gators section. Daddy's sitting in the Louisville section."

Kirsten and Hunter have a special bond, enhanced particularly when Kirsten had a life-threatening aneurysm in her brain Hunter’s senior year of high school at Wesley Chapel Florida’s namesake high school.

Kirsten reportedly lost sight in one eye as her brain bled. She had to be completely nursed back to health after nearly dying from the initial symptoms. Hunter had to work hard at home, helping manage his younger brother Chancellor as well as pick up more household duties as his mom recovered and his dad spent a lot of time traveling with his sales job.

"My illness completely rocked our world, but Hunter never missed a beat, never faltered," Kirsten told ESPN.com. "He continued to deliver at home, in the classroom and on the field. Not many adults would be able be able to pull that off ... never mind asking a kid to do it. But he did do it, and he did an excellent job."

Sugary joy

Much of the Gator nation was bummed Florida would not be playing a higher-profile opponent or competing for a national championship this bowl season. But when the pairings were announced, Hunter was overjoyed.

“I was expecting Oklahoma the whole time and them being in Miami in the Orange Bowl. It just happened. It’s a blessing though,” Hunter said. “Yeah, I called him right after I found out. They are just rooting for the offenses. (Our family) will be happy either way, it’s a win for them.”

Both boys in the Big Easy playing college football is joy. Having the family together, healthy and happy is another level of joy.

“(I’ll remember this) forever. It’s something I look forward to telling my kids and his kids," Hunter said. "So it will be around forever.”